Churros, Chocolate, and Clarity

Ah, vacation. If the picture above didn’t give you a hint, my wife and I just returned from two weeks in Spain. We visited Barcelona, Valencia, and Madrid. We wore out our feet, increased our waistlines (I gained 8 pounds), and created many memories. It has been three years since my wife and I took a “real” vacation, and two weeks in Spain was exactly what we needed. Twisting mysterious alleyways, quaint cafes, warm sun, and the smell of paella overwhelmed our underused senses. It was our first time traveling internationally since the pandemic, and it put a lot of things into perspective.

Barcelona was the most crowded city I had ever been in (and Madrid a close second), which was a shock. It is supposed to be an off-season, but it was more bustling than my pre-COVID experiences in Paris, Rome, Berlin, London, New York, Hong Kong, and even Shanghai. Pushing through hordes of people without masks took some getting used to, especially when Spain was a country hard hit by the pandemic. It brought to light two things. One, we, as a species, have short memories. A short time ago, hospitals were overwhelmed with the sick and dying, and it seemed the world could end. And two, if you’re not dead, you should live. It was a moment of reflection for me. The pandemic brought to light what is most important in life for many of us. I looked at my wife as we held hands in this vibrant city full of energy and said, “the hell with it. Let’s live!” and we did.

Besides a canceled flight on our return that gave us an “interesting” experience in the suburbs of Lisbon (don’t fly TAP air), the trip was without a hiccup- good food, incredible sights, and fantastic weather. Coming back to 983 work emails… was a shock, but I guess all pleasure comes with some pain. It is Friday, and I’ve finally made it through the pile and survived.

When I say this was a “real” vacation, I mean it. It was a complete separation from work (hence all the emails), and although I hate to call my writing work, I separated from that too. Yes, my numbers suffered without my constant attention, but my sanity and well-being were ultimately more important. Going so long without a solid break, I forgot how helpful they are, bringing me to the point of this post.

Before we left on our sojourn, my new job, promoting my books, and editing Noonday in the North (book 3 in my Absolution of the Morning Star series) pushed me to the breaking point. The exhaustion impacted how I viewed my writing and made the editing process seem overly tedious. After finally diving back into Noonday in the North a few nights ago, I realized that my story wasn’t the problem. It was me. This is excellent news because I was getting worried six months of work was trash. I feel refreshed and reinvigorated- precisely why we have vacations in the first place. Right?

It’s hard to step away from writing once you welcome it fully into your life. There is a pervasive feeling that you will lose momentum. Yes, this sometimes happens, and there is merit to a schedule, setting goals, and staying on task, but a break helps, too, especially when it feels like the wheels keep turning with no forward movement. Coming in contact with your writing day after day blinds you to both positive and negative aspects, and this is why many let their work rest before editing. I thought I did this, but just not looking at it doesn’t mean I wasn’t constantly thinking about it. Spain was a great distraction.

I have a long road ahead of me. I am only just getting through the first read-through of Noonday in the North, and I had hoped to have it out by the end of December. That doesn’t give me much time. But you know what? Who cares? It may or may not happen, and that’s ok. It’s coming. I have a new mindset and more energy, and Noonday in the North will benefit from that in the end. The only problem is I miss those churros and chocolate.

Cheers!